Sports stats



CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Keys Complete Sweep with 13-Inning Thriller

May 8, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Frederick, MD - With two outs, the bases loaded and a full count in the bottom of the 13th inning, Frederick outfielder Bobby Stevens drew a walk from reliever Manauris Baez on a pitch up and in. The third walk of the frame scored Miguel Abreu from third base and concluded a 3-2 walk-off defeat for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (16-13) at Harry Grove Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The win capped off a four-game sweep as the Keys (16-13) forged a tie atop the Carolina League's Northern Division. The Blue Rocks have lost six of their last seven while the Keys have won six straight.

Wilmington never held a lead in the game. Frederick used a similar formula to scratch single scores in the second and fourth against starter Justin Marks. Both innings saw Michael Rooney reach with a hit, advance on contact from Luis Bernardo, and score on a Garabez Rosa single through the left-side hole. Marks allowed just those two runs over a career-high-tying seven innings of work. He scattered six hits and four walks while walking one.

The Blue Rocks got a run on starter Oliver Drake in the top of the fourth. Carlo Testa recorded the first of his two doubles down the right-field line to start the inning. Rey Navarro followed with a sacrifice bunt and Nick Francis collected his team-leading 20th RBI with a groundout to shortstop. Drake's successor, Will Startup, received a rude greeting when John Whittleman bombed his team-leading sixth homer of the year to right-center for a 2-2 deadlock at the start of the seventh.

That draw would stand until the bottom of the 13th, but not without many a missed opportunity on both sides. Both teams left the bases loaded between the bottom of the 12th and the top of the 13th. The Blue Rocks got the leadoff man on in the ninth and 10th, but could not drive in a go-ahead run. Those innings included a spectacular spinning field and throw from the outfield grass by Rosa at short to rob Alex McClure in the ninth and strand a runner at second. In the 10th, Whit Merrifield's hard comeback liner took reliever Justin Moore's glove off, but Moore recovered with his bare hand and eventually stranded a runner at third base.

Similarly, McClure made an eye-popping backhand grab of a Tyler Kolodny bouncer deep in the shortstop hole in the fifth. McClure had both feet in the outfield grass when his throw to first just nipped Kolodny. In the 10th, L.J. Hoes started the frame with an infield hit to second base. Hoes ran on contact thereafter when Delaware native Tyler Townsend slammed a liner to right. Francis not only caught the ball, but made a throw to first in time to double-up Hoes for Francis' league-leading 10th outfield assist.

Piggyback reliever Tyler Sample (1-3) gave up a leadoff double to Abreu in the 13th before getting the hook. After Dale Mollenhauer's sacrifice bunt moved him up to second, successive intentional walks by Baez loaded the bases. Baez then whiffed Rosa before the full-count free pass ended the game. Frederick reliever Nick Haughian (1-2) got the win with a scoreless inning of work.

After a scheduled off day on Monday, the Blue Rocks return to Frawley Stadium for a three-game series against the Carolina League's top club, the Salem Red Sox (20-8). The Tuesday tilt will pit right-hander Jake Odorizzi (2-0, 2.42) against righty Pete Ruiz (1-1, 6.45) with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:05 p.m. as studio host Adam Dobrowolski brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

After the game, hard-throwing reliever Kelvin Herrera got word that he has been promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas (TEX). In eight relief outings, the former starter went 2-1 with a save and a 0.61 ERA. Over 14.2 innings, he allowed just eight hits (.160 batting average against), one run, two walks and struck out 12. No corresponding move has been announced yet.

Wilmington dropped to 2-13 when scoring three runs or less. It lost for the first time when recording double-digit hits (7-1).

The Blue Rocks have lost six of their last seven. They have scored just eight total runs in the six losses. The team has hit .173 (35-for-202) in the losses with 56 strikeouts. The losses include a 4-for-42 (.095) showing with runners in scoring position.

Over the Blue Rocks' last eight games, the opposing teams' starting pitchers have combined to allow just four earned runs over 43.0 innings of work (0.84 ERA). That run includes a total of 25 Wilmington hits against 47 strikeouts.

Wilmington had held sole possession of first place in the division every day since April 12. A Mother's Day loss in the finale saw the Blue Rocks lose what was a 5.0-game lead over Frederick just a week earlier.

Between a pinch runner, pinch hitter, defensive replacement and five pitchers, the Keys used 17 of their 25 active players in the game.

Many of the Blue Rocks used pink bats for the Mother's Day ballgame.

The teams combined to issue five intentional walks over the game's last two innings.

The Blue Rocks' sixth straight road loss as lowered their record below .500 away from Frawley Stadium at 8-9.

Over 25 games played in right field Nick Francis already has 10 outfield assists. Last season, current Blue Rock Adrian Ortiz co-led the loop with 13 all season.

The sweep marks the first suffered by the Blue Rocks and the first delivered by the Keys this season.

The league's top two hitters entering the day, Wilmington's Rey Navarro and Delaware native Tyler Townsend of Frederick, combined to go 1-for-10.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Carolina League message board...

Carolina League Stories from May 8, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Wilmington Blue Rocks Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central